Although Caitlin Clark was sidelined for the Indiana Fever on Saturday, head coach Stephanie White wasn't too concerned. Before the game, she thought about Clark's longterm health as opposed to the short term.

Fast forward to the end of the game, that sentiment remains.

As White explained via Chloe Peterson of IndyStar Sports, the second-year guard was doing a great job of communicating from the bench.

“I felt at one point she wanted to go back and put on her uniform,” White said.

For a player like Clark, it must've pained her to not play. However, the long term is way greater than the short term. Not to mention, this is a preseason game.

Still, this game had the intensity of a regular-season game. For instance, the Fever and Washington Mystics had a couple of squabbles throughout the game.

Mind you, this was without Indiana's best player on the floor. They managed to show their identity, and who they hope to be as a team.

For Clark, she communicated plays, defensive schemes, and kept her teammates engaged. No matter what, not having her on the floor still makes a tremendous difference.

Stephanie White says Fever's Caitlin Clark is good to go

Airing on the side of caution is necessary for any WNBA player. For a player of Clark's caliber though, it's essential. Her impact as a playmaker, scorer, and the attention she draws is otherworldly.

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Those are only glimpses of what make her great.

White saw that in Clark from the moment they squared off against one another. When the current Fever head coach was in Connecticut, she threw the house at the rookie.

Sometimes though, it didn't matter. She managed to make a play anyway.

Her acumen was on full display on the court. Now, White got to see it from the sidelines.

Although it's the preseason, the former Iowa legend wants to play every chance she gets. After all, she only missed two games last year, and that was because of a busted eardrum.

At the end of the day, Clark's lower leg injury might've been a simple precaution. She played through training camp with it. That alone shows how tough the second-year player is.

Now, it's about preparing her for the regular season. The Fever will take whatever necessary measures to ensure she plays the entire regular season. Even if means sitting her out of the preseason, then that's what it means.

Either way, White is confident that she'll be good to go in the next 24 hours.